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Poster:
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elbow1126 |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 06:13:55am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Overall i think people would agree with you that Brent's singing was fine. Some people complain that he sounds a bit too much like Michael McDonald, however he did a great job filling the void of a third voice that was lost with Pig. Donna's ability to add in backing vocals was limited to a few songs where she was really good (TMNS, LLR and Bertha come to mind immediately).
However there is a big difference between Brent's singing and Brent's songs. I can listen to Brent sing, i can't listen to his sappy songs. Blow Away? We Can Run? Yikes.
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Poster:
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deadheadnorway |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 06:25:19am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Actually I don`t mind the Michael McDonald comparisons... Since I`m a big fan of Steely Dan : )
But what`s Brent`s greatest tune? Well I wonder. Just a little light me thinks. Jazzy and not to cheesy lyrics.
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Poster:
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snow_and_rain |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 07:39:08am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
"Greatest" might be setting the bar too high.
In my opinion his best origials are Tons of Steel, Blow Away and Just a Little Light.
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Poster:
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robthewordsmith |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 06:41:55am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
ok - one vote here for the anti-Brent camp. Can't stand his singing at all. For me, it's got to be Phil on high harmonies to achieve that full tilt sonic joy and, yes you got it, that means the Early Era.
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Poster:
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William Tell |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 06:51:16am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Sign me up; is there a "summer fun camp" where we get to do "this" (bash Brent, praise Phil--oh, yeah, it's right here)? I "quit" during the Brent Era, so I guess it goes without saying.
But I just did--and before everyone writes in, let me say it wasn't just because of him, and yes, I will try to cut down on the superfluous quotation marks...
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Poster:
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robthewordsmith |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 06:55:45am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Hah! I could feel you standing behind my shoulder when I wrote that. Two old school farts together, eh?
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Poster:
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William Tell |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 06:58:48am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Better get this in here before SDH...ahem, well, in any case, hope things are starting off well for a Monday (or should I say, wrapping up).
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Poster:
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deadheadnorway |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 07:09:03am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Sorry to ask guys... But does this mean that you for example misses out on a great year like 89???????
I mean, my favourite years are 69, 72-74, 77 and 80. But that does not mean I miss out on the magic in 89 and 91.
Kind regards from Norway.
This post was modified by deadheadnorway on 2011-06-13 14:09:03
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Poster:
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William Tell |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 07:10:02am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Speaking for myself, and I think Rob, yes, it does indeed come down to that...for me, it was a number of things that influenced my departure in 82 (from seeing them live), and metamorphosis into an early era fanatic (arriving here at the Forum in 06 or so), and I'd put it more on Jerry's decline than the revolving keybd players...but, just never took to Brent's voice, nor his lyrics.
And yes, I know that means I missed BD#2's famed 82-84 mini-era, but there's still plenty to love.
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Poster:
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duckpond74 |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 07:29:16am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
"but, just never took to Brent's voice, nor his lyrics" . . . the voice, the awful lyrics and that eternally annoying cheesy electric keyboard sound. When we first saw Brent, he stuck mostly with the B3 and sang only backup. By '82, I too had had enough of that awful combo of Brent's cheesy tinklings, vocals and lyrics along with that "new" sharp, loud, wanky guitar sound that Bob had started working up around the Egypt '78 dates. I used to blame my distaste with the 80's sound mostly on Brent, but Bob's new louder, cheesier (sorry for the repeated dairy product reference - I mostly saw the band in Wisconsin at Alpine Valley throughout the '80's) guitar sound was becoming annoying and a distraction - not to mention his new found 'rock and roll screamer' voice. Also, having more access to more of the early era recordings made the comparisons even more strident and painful. Ch-ch-ch-ch changes . . .
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Poster:
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robthewordsmith |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 07:08:21am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
SDH? You mean the spontaneous daily homoeroticism?
He'll be here.
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Poster:
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snori |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 07:35:06am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
And I thought that stood for the 'Shelves, Doors, and Hatstands' that are strewn around his workplace on a daily basis.
And to add to WT's 'voice and songs' I'm afraid I never really took to the tinkly keyboard sound. I'd almost forgotten it, but it surfaced again as I was listening to 'Jack Straws' the other day.
BTW Rob, have you heard Eliza Carthy's latest ? Saw her last week, and bought it immediately.
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Poster:
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robthewordsmith |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 10:38:52am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Hey snori - haven't heard Eliza Carthy's latest, in fact I haven't really kept in touch with what she's been doing since Red/Rice, but I trust your good judgement and will check it out!
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Poster:
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AltheaRose |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 08:31:39am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
LOL! What a fun summer camp. I can do that. Only I'll have to go to the cabin where we also do Obligatory Nice Brent Praising in between the main fun. (Not his electronic keyboards or his songs, though. The cabin for that is in a whole other camp. We'll see them only for tug-o-wars. And we'll win, of course.)
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Poster:
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William Tell |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 08:51:53am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Sorry, and I mean really sorry, but all I can think of is the "panty raids" component...but since those will be far more abundant than you might think, what with Dire and SDH's tastes in undergarments, you and RingL-O can rest easy.
Am I going to get in big trouble for this?
But, this whole summer camp thing has real appeal: there can be a "68 Cabin" and we will simply trash the crap out of the "90s Cabin" because...well because...hmmm, now I am not sure we'll actually be leaving our cabin. Or perhaps finding our way back when we step out for a...a...pee.
Is this camp anywhere near Bohem. Grove?
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Poster:
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zeroenvy |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 07:12:34am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Those are my fav brent tunes haha :(
I love his voice.
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Poster:
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deadheadnorway |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 07:22:36am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
: )
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Poster:
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SomeDarkHollow |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 07:54:25am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
One of my favorite M. McDonald "opinions":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqMTkJjeqbIAs for me, I like, not love Brent's vocals. He earns my respect primarily for his Hammond B3 work. Like Keith stuck almost exclusively to the piano (except for the weak forays with a Moog), Brent should have stuck with the dual Leslies. As I've said before, too often his electric keyboard sound reminded me of a circus grinder and his hopped up monkey begging for change. But change came too late.
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Poster:
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AltheaRose |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 08:36:31am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Hmmm. We may be in the same cabin in WT's summer camp.
Norway, I think this is partly the crux of it. I enjoy 80s GD and appreciate what Brent brought to the band. Or rather, "came to appreciate." But one thing to kind of understand, though, is that some of us got "on the bus" pre-Brent (or were more impacted by that era's sound), and the GD had a particular sound that definitely didn't include those tinkly little fake plastic key sounds (ooops, going into Brent Bash Mode there!) or, frankly, super-smooth Doobie-ish vocals.
So Brent ... well, it really was true that he didn't have the most enthusiastic reception, and I kinda feel bad about that, but I did feel that way and to some extent it's stuck, in part because that's just how my ears work. I don't like artifice. The GD isn't ... artifice. Brent seemed to be a bit, well, pop. Which means ... artifice.
Where he did definitely win me over was the organ and his backup vocals. As long as he stayed in a backup role, I really came to appreciate him. And I do understand that he was energizing for the band, and respect their self-reporting on that. So that holds some weight. But his singing, when he takes the lead, either grates on me or sucks me in -- but in a non-GD way. Like, "now it's a break and it's some other band."
His songs, though ... sorry, they're just terrible. They're not GD and they're not what I like. I dunno, maybe they could have been Top 40 Radio or something. But I don't care for Top 40. I'll take a full day's diet of Sunrise over a single Brent song any day.
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Poster:
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SomeDarkHollow |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 10:08:09am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Hello Mudda, hello Fadda... |
WT's summer camp has been cancelled pending the outcome of a federal investigation into allegations of camper intimidation by counselors. Apparently on at least one occasion young campers who were caught with a copy of a post-77 show and made to stand in the rain repeating "I renounce the Brent era and flagrant use of talent-sapping opiods that rendered music flat and soul-less to the point where any sub-bridge inhabiting fat man with a Twinkie fetish and a guitar could substitute" over and over.
This post was modified by SomeDarkHollow on 2011-06-13 17:08:09
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Poster:
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AltheaRose |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 09:45:06am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Dang, that's a shame. I was looking forward to some twinkie raids on the Nothing Before '84 cabin.
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Poster:
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William Tell |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 10:07:43am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
I am just glad to find out that the plan WAS for us geezers to run this little camp. And yes, if it weren't for the fact that there have been some serious screwups with overzealous "camper discipline" in the real world, I'd probably continue with this lame attempt at humor...but we don't want any lawsuits from Brent's estate, or to upset anyone that lost a loved one at William Tell's Summer Camp and Archery Range.
Come to think of it, we never lost anyone with a copy of TFTVault in their knapsack, so there may be sufficient grounds...better stop now.
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Poster:
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SomeDarkHollow |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 10:13:40am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
"Lame attempt"?
This stuff is gold.
And yes, old hippies with bows and arrows is not a situation where you could easily find adequate insurance coverage.
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Poster:
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deadheadnorway |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 10:25:30am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Oh... I shouldn`t have started this.
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Poster:
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robthewordsmith |
Date:
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June 13, 2011 10:33:58am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Hey don't worry - it gives the old folks something to do!
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Poster:
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ringolevio |
Date:
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June 14, 2011 05:07:43am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
Nah ... it goes on all the time here.
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Poster:
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ringolevio |
Date:
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June 14, 2011 05:07:24am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
"I am just glad to find out that the plan WAS for us geezers to run this little camp."
We're just letting you *think* you run it :)
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Poster:
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WillCo |
Date:
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June 14, 2011 07:02:44am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
I don't think anyone can improve on your (Althea Rose's) observations that when Brent takes the lead vocal "it's some other band"; and that his songs were "... terrible. They're not GD...". It's as if the spell is broken, every time.
However there's sometimes lots to like in his keyboard work. I even like the stuff that has been described by someone as "bug-squishing sounds". I'm thinking of Dick's Pick v13 from 1981-05-06, that amazing sequence from He's Gone outro > Caution > Spanish Jam; and the other Dick's Pick, v6 from 1983-10-14, where Brent plays a big part in the whole of CD Two (Scarlet > Fire; Estimated > Eyes).
Good audience recordings for each show, as well:
http://www.archive.org/details/gd81-05-06.glassberg.vernon.17697.sbeok.shnfhttp://www.archive.org/details/gd1983-10-14.senn421.wise.miller.103233.flac16This post was modified by WillCo on 2011-06-14 14:02:44
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Poster:
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Jim F |
Date:
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June 14, 2011 12:13:18am |
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Forum:
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GratefulDead
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Subject:
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Re: Brent. |
I actually like Michael McDonald. They should have had the Silver Fox join the band instead of Brent or Vince. Though I think his smooth grooves might have been too much for the band to even handle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMTI8vg7A5UBrent was prone to the same affliction Warren Haynes is often guilty of. That tendency to sing like a cross between Michael Bolton and the guy from Whitesnake.
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